Sunday, May 13, 2012

Is it over yet?

After hectic March and April, may seems to be much slower. Still lots of migrants around but nothing like in early May. Some nice additions to my ever-growing garden list - Olive-tree and River Warblers. Looking back at this spring, it is amazing how few true rarities we've had here. Basalt Wheatear and vittata, but that's it really. I still have some hope for the coming week or two to produce a good shorebird perhaps, Great Knot anyone?

I resumed my project on our Yellow-legged Gull population with Amir. We ringed already some chicks and one adult female - my first adult YLG. Not too much fieldwork planned for the next few weeks otherwise. Getting ready for a Fish Owl trip to Turkey in July with some mates.

So this is the wing pattern of michahellis breeding in the E Med: P10 almost completely white with a thin black subterminal band, P9 with medium-sized white mirror, substantial black to P5 with tiny black spot on P4. Deep grey moons on P8 and P7.